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HONOLULU, Hawaii -- One day after dropping their first game of the season, the second-ranked Christopher Newport women's basketball team bounced back with an impressive offensive efffort against Willamette University (4-6) in the Hoop N' Surf Christmas Classic. The Captains scored 58 points in the paint and put together a dominant second half en route to an 83-51 victory over the Bearcats.
With the victory, the Captains earned a split at the St. Francis High School Gym in the Hawaii tournament and will return to the Commonwealth of Virginia with a 9-1 overall record. CNU led by seven at the half and then held Willamette to just 20 points and 15.3% (4-26) shooting after the break.
In the finest shooting performance of the season for Christopher Newport, four different Captains finished in double figures. CNU shot 48.6% (34-70) from the field and were led by senior
Sam Porter with 15 points on 6-12 shooting. Two more starters,
Zhara Tannor (12 points on 5-7 shooting) and
Jessica Daguilh (10 points on 5-8 shooting) were pivotal in the exceptional offensive performance. Rounding out the double figure scorers was sophomore
Kiana Kirkland, who poured in all 10 of her points in the first half on 3-5 shooting.
A fast-break layup with 1:11 remaining in the second quarter by Kirkland would push the first-half lead to 11 points, 38-27. The Bearcats would score the last four points of the half to cut the lead to seven, 38-31. After a three-pointer by Brittany Kochenderfer for Willamette opened the second half, the Captains ripped off a 9-0 run to take control mid-way through the third quarter, 47-34.
The Captains looked inside to build the advantage, with layups by Daguilh and Porter followed by fast-break layups from
Bailey Dufrene and
Zhara Tannor. Those buckets were set up by the Christopher Newport defense, grabbing two of 16 steals in the game. The lead would grow to 15 by the end of the third quarter, 54-39, with an old-fashioned three-point play by sophomore
Micah Maloney.
The fourth quarter was all Captains. Willamette was held to just 1-of-11 shooting for 9.1% from the floor. On the other end, the Captains stayed hot from the field and dominated the glass with nine different players getting into the scoring column. Porter led the stanza with six points, while Daguilh and
Madison Howdyshell each added five. CNU outscored the Bearcats, 29-12, and finished the game with a 32-point victory, 83-51.
CNU's dominance in the paint included 16 offensive rebounds as the Captains poured in 20 second-chance points and 58 total points close to the basket. The Captains' defense was also in top form again, forcing 23 turnovers with 16 steals and 23 points off of Bearcat turnovers.
Celine Gregoire led the way for Willamette with 18 points off the bench.
Christopher Newport will head home for the holidays and returns to the court on New Year's Eve. The Captains will close out non-conference play against Virginia Wesleyan University on December 31 at 1:00 pm.
